


Surviving

by AniZH



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Family, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 16:56:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14794386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AniZH/pseuds/AniZH
Summary: Alec’s about to die but Magnus has enough sense to call Catarina for help. His friend brings Madzie and with her and later everyone else coming to visit, Magnus realizes he and Alec can survive anything. (takes place right after 3x10)





	Surviving

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, there!  
> My first little fic for Shadowhunters. I just love Malec so much and Madzie too and... well, everyone else as well, so I did this.  
> Please, enjoy!

Magnus can barely breathe.  
He can’t loose him. Not him, not Alexander. Not already.  
He always knew he would loose him eventually, Alec being mortal, but... It’s too soon. They barely had time together.  
And how ridiculous that even after that short time, Magnus already loves him so damn much that his heart is about to break.  
No, he can’t loose him. He has to do something.  
He tries. He tries to pretend like he still has his magic. He lets his hand hover next to the arrow sticking out of Alec, as if his magic could suddenly be back if he just pretended hard enough.  
Instead, he feels the last bit of magic leaving him, almost mocking him. The last shadow of magic that would’ve never been enough to even heal a scratched up knee, let alone wounds as severe as Alec’s. It’s as if his father knew this situation would arise. As if he left him that tiny bit of magic on purpose only for Magnus to have to feel it exhaust and leave him, his glamor, that he keeps up like second nature, falling, while he needs his magic more than ever before.  
And suddenly, he fumbles for his phone. Yes, magic. He needs magic. And if he can’t do it anymore...  
“Stay with me, Alexander,” he breathes in the direction of the man on the ground.  
His eyes flutter open but Magnus knows he can’t really see anymore. He makes a small noise.  
Magnus still holds his head up with his right hand while he searches with the left for the right number in his phone. He knows he wouldn’t be shaking this much if he still had his magic. Because his magic gave him strength. He was weak now.  
And worthless. He couldn’t do a thing to help Alec, damnit.  
Finally, he clicked the call button and it doesn’t ring for long.  
Catarina, whom he told that everything would go down today, picks up: “Magnus. Everything o...?”  
She doesn’t get further. Magnus interrupts with a choked up voice: “Catarina. You need to come.”  
His friend doesn’t hesitate. “Where to?”  
He roughly describes his location and as soon as he’s done, she hangs up on him. A second later, a poratl opens somewhere next to him.  
He sees the light of it but only glances in its direction. He sees Catarina and turns back to Alec, trying to breathe steadily. He wants to tell Alec that help is close, that he will feel better soon enough. Though he isn’t sure if Alec would even hear him anymore at this point. He’s still breathing but otherwise seems passed out.  
A voice holds him from speaking softly to Alec, a call that sounds heart wrenching: “Alec!”  
Magnus doesn’t need to turn again. The next second not only Catarina is on her knees on Alec’s other side, but Madzie too.  
God, she brought Madzie. She can’t have had a babysitter and at times like these she probably found it safest to keep her with her instead of leaving her home alone. Not to mention that Magnus knows that Madzie got taught to portal herself out of tight spaces. Catarina taught her that when they ever would get attacked, Madzie would flee and not try to stay and help.  
Magnus wasn’t so sure if Madzie would act that way if the situation would arise but Catarina seems to trust that she does, which is why she took her here with her, though she must’ve known that dangers could await.  
The little girl now looks with big eyes down to Alec, a man she adores almost as much as Magnus does.  
Catarina meanwhile looks at Magnus and softly says his name, as if she can’t believe what she’s seeing.  
Magnus looks up to her and feels tears filling his cat eyes. “Please. Please heal him.”  
Catarina starts without another word, moves her hands over Alec’s body as if she’s never done anything else in her life. Well, she is the best healer Magnus knows. She has to be able to do this. To save Alec.  
After watching for a moment, Madzie demands: “Tell me how to help.”  
And Catarina does, gives her short commands, lets her give her magic to Alec as well. The little warlock follows every order with utmost care.  
Together, they make Alec’s body expel the arrow and they heal the wound. Alec’s breathing slowly gets stronger again, more even.  
His eyes flutter open a few more times in between and every time, Magnus tells him that everything’s gonna be okay and that he loves him.  
Finally, Catarina stops with her actions and makes Madzie stop too, looking up at Magnus: “He’ll be fine.”  
“He will be?”  
He can barely believe it. Before she arrived, he was as good as dead. But he will survive all of this?  
“Yes,” Catarina confirms, before she gets up. “I’ll bring you home.”

Magnus doesn’t let her carry Alec by magic, as soon as she confirms that he’s well enough to be moved around. He carries him himself, in his arms, feeling safe by feeling Alec’s wieght, the warmth radiating from his body, confirming his blood still pumping through his veins. He feels comforted by feeling Alec breathe in his arms.  
Catarina opens the portal to transport them to Magnus’ home. He knows she puts wards up, while he carries Alec to his bed and lies him onto it, Madzie following him.  
He sits down on the bed next to Alec, turns away from his love for a second, breathes, tells himself that it’s gonna be alright, that Alec is fine. And that he’ll be fine too, despite everything.  
Suddenly, Madzie climbs on his lap, turned to him. She takes his face between her hands and looks him into his cat eyes.  
“I don’t feel your magic,” she says.  
“I know, sweet pea,” he answers with a weak voice and almost can’t bear to say it but yet he does: “It’s gone.”  
She lets go of his face but only to pull him into a hug. “We’ll get it back.”  
Everything inside of Magnus hurts. “I wish we could.”  
“We will,” the little warlock states confidently. “And until we do, we’ll take care of you.” Her and Catarina.  
A dry sob escapes his lip as he presses the girl closer.  
“Thank you, sweet pea,” he whispers.  
He wonders if he’ll take her up on that offer. It’s not like she or Catarina would be bound to him for too long, would need to take care of him for too long. Time passes like the blink for an eye for them, like it did for him. He guesses it won’t be the same for him anymore. He knows with his magic his immortality is gone too. Suddenly, he sees the reality of him growing old and dying eventually. Madzie and Catarina probably wouldn’t mind taking care of him until then, those few years in such a long life span.  
The thought scares him and yet, Madzie offering, Madzie telling him they’ll be there for him, with all of the innocence young children have... it means more to him than he could ever express.

Magnus is lying on Alec’s left side and Madzie on his right.  
Madzie is exhausted after she used so much of her magic. But Magnus knows it’s also the comfort of Alec’s warmth and scent that is about to lull her to sleep.  
He himself has closed his eyes after Catarina checked up on Alec once more and was satisfied. She also put him into clean clothes with magic.  
Magnus is about to drift off to sleep when he hears Catarina’s voice, softly: “How about we leave the two of them alone?”  
He opens his eyes again and sees Catarina next to Madzie, gently taking the girl from Alec’s side. But she turns out of Catarina’s arms. “No. I want to stay.”  
“It’s fine,” Magnus says and his own voice sounds like a stranger’s. Exhausted from all the emotions he has had in the last 24 hours. Weak and rough. “Both of you feel free to stay.”  
He wants them to stay. He wants Catarina around, just in case. Because what if Alec takes a turn to the worse again? He can’t do anything to help him. He would have to call Catarina again and what if he wouldn’t reach her. He can’t send a fire message or anything anymore.  
Catarina looks at him for a moment and he knows she must know. Though she’s never seen him like that, she must know how scared he feels.  
She nods, lets go of Madzie, but gently runs her hand over her cheek. “Okay. I’ll go to sleep next door then.”  
She kisses Madzie good night, before she leaves for the guest bedroom.  
Normally, Magnus would offer her a nightcap or something, but he won’t leave Alec’s side and he knows Catarina feels home enough in his home that she would help herself if she felt like it.  
Magnus settles his head back against Alec, not on his chest, just like Madzie, because there’s still a wound, as good of work as the two did.  
“He’ll be okay,” Madzie says, watching Magnus.  
Looking into Madzie’s eyes, so full of love and hope despite everything that already happened in the young warlock’s life, he can’t help but answer: “I know.”

 

Alec feels the bodies next to his. He feels a small hand lying on his left shoulder, a child almost clutching to his left arm.  
It reminds him of Max, when he was a little younger. Max always looked for trouble throughout the day but was extremely vulnerable at night when he was little. Whenever he couldn’t sleep and thought he couldn’t go to his parents again and ask them if he could sleep with them, he came to Alec instead. He never was worried to ask him too often. He never even asked, just slid in with him and cuddled up to him.  
Alec didn’t mind. Izzy also often slept in his room when they were little, cuddling up to him in the same way. Heck, even Jace did sometimes when nightmares about his father haunted him and Alec was the first he could ever trust that way.  
But he knows this is neither Jace, nor Izzy, nor Max. This is someone else entirely.  
And then there’s another body cuddled up against his. He somehow knows who that is, without having to open his eyes.  
A content smile goes over his face and he feels comforted and warm, until he suddenly remembers. Remembers what happened, why he’s here, who has to be the child cuddled up against him. Remembers the pain in his throat and his chest and his whole body.

Magnus wakes up when Alec stirs.  
It’s morning by now. They slept through what was left of the night.  
He sits up when Alec moves. “Alexander,” he says softly.  
Alec opens his eyes. He shortly looks through the room, assesing the situation like the soldier he is, before he finally focuses on Magnus.  
His voice sounds sore and weak. “You came back.”  
“Just in time,” Magnus responds and almost hungrily looks down to Alec, to his face, that might be pale, but damn, his eyes are open and he’s talking and he’s alive. Magnus isn’t sure he’ll ever get done looking at him, now that he has almost lost him.  
Alec shortly glances to Madzie, a faint smile on his face, before he frees himself just enough out of her clutch to be able to put both his hands on Magnus’ cheeks and pull him down into a kiss.  
It’s a long and slow kiss and Magnus only pulls away again when he can’t breathe anymore.  
With his hand, he goes through Alec’s hair while they look at each other. Alec seems just as determined to never stop looking at him as Magnus does.  
And finally, Alec says, this time his voice almost sounding broken: “I’m so sorry.”  
“Whatever for,” Magnus responds.  
“I made you give up your...” Alec can’t bring himself to say it. He breaks off.  
Magnus wonders how Alec knows. He only now remembers that his eyes are showing. They don’t usually. There are moments where Alec asks to see them, but it never happens that Magnus wakes up with them showing, as if he shows them while cuddling or alike.  
Does Alec know because of the eyes? Does he remember how Magnus told Jace that his magic was gone, though he was barely alive at that point? Has he somehow heard Magnus and Madzie talk about it? Or does he feel that it isn’t Magnus’ magic that healed him, as he once told Magnus that his magic somehow feels different than the others he has felt before, and Magnus not having his magic is the only explanation for him for Magnus not having healed him himself?  
In any way... How can Alec be so incredibly attentive and kind? How did Magnus deserve him?  
“It wasn’t you,” he says. “I made the decision. And yes, you were part of that decision, but it was about so much more and you know it.”  
He didn’t want Alec to loose part of himself by killing Jace – not to mention that he was afraid that Alec couldn’t do it with Lilith being who she was and that he would die instead. But this was also about all those other people Lilith hurt through Jace and about Jace himself. A young man he would possibly hate under other circumstances but whom he learned to like through spending time and bonding over Alec.  
He couldn’t let Jace hurt himself and so many others any longer. He can’t stand watching people hurt. Not after what he did himself under his father’s influence when he was younger.  
Alec drops his left hand as if it’s too exhausting to hold it up, but his right hand still lies on Magnus’ cheek and Magnus leans further into it, closing his eyes for a moment, breathing, drawing in Alec’s scent.  
They share another kiss and then look at each other again.  
It’s just that until there’s a knock on the front door.  
Catarina stands in the doorframe to the bedroom, which door she left open last night to easily be able to hear if something was wrong, the next second. She must’ve felt someone approaching before there was a knock on the door, as she put the wards up around the apartment the night prior.  
“You’re up,” she notices with a kind smile, looking over both Magnus and Alec, only shortly glancing to Madzie, who’s still fast asleep. “It’s probably your family,” she tells Alec. “I sent your sister a fire message yesterday to let her know where you are.”  
Bless Catarina, who thought about absolutely everything.  
“Let them in,” Alec tells her and she nods and is off to the door.  
Alec meanwhile sits up, pulling away from Madzie but Magnus too.  
“You don’t have to get up,” Magnus says as he watches his boyfriend slowly breathing in and out before standing up. He shouldn’t get up. Warlock magic also can only do so much, which Alec knows.  
“It’s okay,” Alec says, though he looks like he’s in pain for a moment, steadying himself on his legs. “I feel okay.”  
He walks to the bedroom door with Magnus following him and they have barely left the room, when Izzy’s suddenly there, hugging Alec tightly. Maryse is with Alec the next second and hugs both her children, crying silent tears.  
Magnus feels the door closing behind him, while he hears Izzy whisper how glad she is to find Alec okay and Alec whispering back that he’s just as glad.  
Magnus looks up to also see Luke, Simon and Jace. All of them are as pale as Alec is. Luke nods to Magnus in greeting, while Simon stares down on the floor.  
Behind them is Catarina, who opened the door for them – and now closed the bedroom door with magic to not risk all the commotion to wake Madzie. Madzie who put so much of her magic in Alec and deserves much more sleep.  
Only when Izzy and Maryse let go, Jace steps forward. He could’ve joined in with the family moment but Magnus is sure that the young man wants to give Alec a chance to reject him, to turn him away. It would’ve been difficult with his sister and his mother already in his arms, but now, it’s just the two of them, standing opposite each other.  
As if Alec would ever turn Jace away, did he make sure with his dying breath to tell Jace that his injuries weren’t his fault.  
But Magnus understands Jace’s hesitation. It’s the guilt in Jace that make him hesitant.  
The two men look at each other and in the same moment, they finally step forward and hug. They hug as if their lives depend on each other – they do.  
Izzy meanwhile walks over to Magnus and also hugs him, whispering a quiet ‘thanks’. Magnus doesn’t know what for. But he returns the hug by the loving girl. The girl that, as he suddenly realizes, never has seen his cat eyes before but that didn’t draw back because of them. Not one of these people did a double take seeing him, standing there now, without his glamor. Magnus knows Jace must’ve told them about him loosing his magic. Just like he told them what happened to Alec.  
Maryse hugs him as well and Magnus would’ve never thought he would ever feel like that, but it’s comforting. Even motherly, though he’s so much older than the woman.  
“Clary?”  
Alec’s voice pulls Magnus back to reality. He has barely broken away from Jace when he quietly asked.  
Jace can’t bear to look into his parabatai’s eyes. It’s Simon, who answers, defeated: “I killed her.”  
“It wasn’t your fault,” Jace says dismissively.  
And if Jace says so, Magnus is sure it must be true. If he doesn’t see Simon at fault, he can’t be. It’s also not like Simon would ever be out to kill Clary, his best friend. Magnus doesn’t know what happened. He isn’t sure he wants to know.  
He sees Alec squeeze Jace’s shoulder with his hand in way of comfort, before he checks, because he’s a leader who takes care: “Lilith?”  
“Banished,” Luke simply says.  
Then, there’s a long pause. A pause filled with pain and sorrow.  
Magnus wonders if anyone but Alec and him have slept at all. Or if the others stayed up together, dealing with the immediate aftermath, and if they only got here now because they took care of everything necessary and changed clothes. He wondered if they stayed together and made sure that Simon came with them, to not have the boy, who probably doesn’t care too much about Alec right now, be alone somewhere.  
After a while, Catarina carefully asks: “How about I make everyone breakfast?”  
“Thank you, Catarina,” Magnus says and Catarina walks into the kitchen. She could’ve just whipped it all up with magic right here, but he’s sure she for one didn’t want to do so in front of Magnus and second of all was glad to leave the room for a second. The room filled with people she has barely anything to do with except Magnus and Alec themselves and who need time for each other.  
Jace meanwhile turns to Alec: “You should lie down, Alec.”  
“I’m fine,” the young man claims but he lets Jace steer him to the couch and sits down there. He actually breathes out heavily as he does. It costs more of his strength than he would ever admit to get up at all and walk here and stand with his family like he did to hug them.  
Now, he closes his eyes for a moment and everyone just sort of watches him, before Catarina walks in with breakfast. Magnus notices her glancing to the bedroom door, while she puts the breakfast on the table and she and Luke start handing out the cups with coffee and tea and the waffles.  
Magnus follows her glance with his own eyes and finds Madzie having opened the door and peaking around it. She seems unsure though she knows at least most of them.  
Alec must’ve followed Catarina’s glance too, at least he calls out for her, the smile audible in his voice: “Madzie.”  
That makes the girl abandon all hesitation. She promptly runs up to Alec and lets herself be pulled up his lap. “How’s my favorite little warlock?” he asks her.  
Magnus always loves seeing Alec with Madzie. He’s so good with her and it makes his heart ache. That he’s so good with children in general but that he’s also like that with a warlock child. How many Shadowhunters wouldn’t care about her age as soon as they would’ve find out that she’s a warlock?  
Somehow he also notices Maryse watching with a smile – Maryse Lightwood watching a warlock with a smile, which is a show in itself, but Jace draws Magnus’ attention away.  
He has stepped up to Magnus and the next moment... he hugs him.  
Magnus is a little too perplex for a moment, then he relaxes into the hug that’s a bit too tight. With Jace who doesn’t feel as warm and comfortable, as Alec always does to Magnus.  
“Thank you,” Jace whispers. “For everything.”  
Magnus slightly shakes his head as they break apart again, telling Jace with that that it’s fine.  
They share a faint smile before they join the others again. Catarina has snatched Madzie away from Alec and sat down with her on one of the chairs. Luke and Simon have found seats as well, sipping from their cups.  
Maryse sits next to Alec by now, watching him as she holds out food for him. But she makes room when Jace walks over to sit down between them. Maryse stays close enough to Jace that she’s also close to Alec.  
Izzy sat down on the floor in front of Alec, leaning against his legs. With a smile, he moves his hand over her head, making her smile too.  
And that actually leaves room for Magnus. Though his family, without a doubt, wants to be so close to him, they leave room for Magnus to do the same.  
He sits down on Alec’s empty side, as close as Jace does on the other, and realizes that they think as much of him as they do of Alec. They hugged him as lovingly, they consider him as much.  
And suddenly, he realizes that he will survive this, though it will be tough. He will survive loosing his magic. With all the people in this room, with Catarina and Madzie, with Luke and Simon, with Maryse, Izzy and Jace. And with Alec.  
Just like Alec survived the wounds that should’ve been fatal.  
They’ll survive with each other and these people. Their family.


End file.
